Synthroid for Hypothyroidism?

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 15 years ago (I am now 26 years old) and had surgery to completely remove my thyroid 9 years ago. I've been taking synthroid all along and have been doing well on it. For the past 2 years, I've been taking 100 MCG one time daily. I just received my 6 month check up and my doctor said that TSH level is at 3.09, and she said that people with hypothyroidism tend to do better/feel better with a TSH level between 1 and 2, so she is putting my dosage at 125 MCG daily. I have a hard time understanding the dosages with this. What causes the TSH level to change if my thyroid is completely gone? Does this mean my doc is INCREASing my dosage, or DECREASing my dosage? As regards to weight/metabolism, is this going to mean that I may have a harder time losing weight now, or an easier time? My previous dose of 100 MCG, did that mean that I was getting TOO MUCH synthroid, or TOO LITTLE? Thanks!! I'm just trying to understand this all.

TSH is a funny little thing to understand. It stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. If your body isn't getting enough thyroxine (what synthroid replaces), TSH levels go up in order to stimulate the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone. Obviously, it doesn't do anything in your case, but the level is still useful to see how well the synthroid is doing.

If the synthroid is too low, your TSH will go up. In order to reduce the TSH level, you need to increase your dosage of synthroid, and reduce the body's need to make more.

You may need more synthroid if you've gained weight, etc. As a bonus, this will make it slightly easier to lose weight.

She increased your dose, from 100 to 125 mg of Synthyroid.

Hormones are delicate, and are balanced by other hormones.

Thyroid axis goes as follows:

Hypothalamus produces TRH or thyrotropin release hormone
Hypophysis produces TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone or thyrothropin

Thyroid produces Thyroxin and T3.

So, if the levels are too low, the hypophysis increases its TSH to stimulate the thyroid. As you have not thyroid gland, you should take an increased TSH level as a signal that your "body feels it is not enough and wants more thyroid hormones". So the dr increased it. Hypophysis would reduce its TSH to show "go on that way" with a normal level of TSH.

Your doctor is correct about that the TSH should be below 2.0. You are lucky to have this doctor, as far too many doctors leave their patients at higher TSH levels and then prescribe additional meds to help with the other symptoms that would have been resolved if the doctor just gave them more thyroid meds. You don't say why your thyroid was removed. If it was because of cancer, then you need to have your TSH below 1.0 to suppress cancer cells from coming back.

Your doctor is increasing your dosage. It could be because of the time of day you previously tested that you were on a lower dose. It could be because of the pituitary sensing mechanism. TSH is not a thyroid hormone, but a pituitary hormone. When you test, TSH should always be done in the morning and first thing. The reason, TSH is highest while we sleep and upon rising it goes down. By 2PM its at its lowest point. I highly recommend that a free t4 and free t3 be done with the TSH. These are actual amounts of thyroid hormones in the blood available for use. These levels should be at least midrange.

Below is a good thyroid site